Photographic-spotting-brush moistener



H. T. A. DICKOPF.

'PHOTOGRAPHIC SPOTTING BRUSH MOISTENER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-20. 1919.

1,37 ,34 Patented Mar. 22, 1921,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

rnoToeBArnIc-sror'rINe-Bnusrr MOISTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed August 20, 1919. Serial No. 318,843.

To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, IIUBERT T. A. Dion- OPF, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Montclair, in the countyof Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Photographic S otting Brush Moisteners, of whlch thefollowing is a specificationl This invention relates in general tomoistening devices, and more particularly to a moistening device forphotographic spotting brushes.

The objects of the invention are to provide a moistening device of thecharacter described whereby a moistening surface is constantlymaintained with a proper degree of moisture for photographic spottingbrushes; to provide such a device comprising a fountain or receptaclefor moistening fluid from which the moistening surface is constantlysupplied by capillary action; to provide a construction wherebyexcessive moisture in the moistening surface is prevented; to obtain adevice of this character by means of which a photographic spotting brushmay be properly moistened by more contact with the moistening surface;to provide a moistening surface which will not injure the brush; toprovide a bodily yielding moistening surface whereby the proper contactof the brush therewith is assured; to provide a moistening device inwhich the brush can be washed without disturbing or moving themoistening surface, and to obtain other results and advantages as may bebrought out by the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals ofreference inclicate the same parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a photographic spotting brushmoistening device constructed in accordance with my inven tion, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention illustrated bythe drawings,

the reference character 1 designates a watertight receptacle adapted tocontain any suitable moistening fluid, such as water, the saidreceptacle being provided with a cover 2. The said cover 2 is providedwith a pair of transversely extending substantially parallel slots 3through which is inserted a suitable strip of absorbent material 4. Thisstrip 4 is preferably conventional blotting paper, although any othersubstantially stiff but flexible absorbent material might be used. Theends of the strip 4 are inserted through the slots 3 from the outside ofthe cover, and depend into the moistening fluid in the receptacle 1, theportion of the strip 4 between the slotsB outside of the cover beingarched upwardly and spaced from the cover 2.

In the use of the device the moistening fluid in the receptacle 1travels through the strip 4 of absorbent material by capillary action,so as to moisten the strip for sub stantially its whole length, andwhen. it is desired to moisten a photographic spotting brush the pointof the brush is merely touched upon theouter surface of the strip 4,whereupon the moisture in the strip is conveyed at the point of thebrush. Only very slight moisture is required on photographic spottingbrushes, and it is quite important that excessive moisture be avoided,and through my invention the strip 4 is constantly maintained with theproper amount of moisture necessary to moisten a photographic spottingbrush. The flexibility of the strip 4 and its en gagement with the edgesof the slots 3 maintain the same spaced from the cover 2 so that theexposed portion of the strip cannot become saturated with the moistoningfluid as would be the case were the exposed portion of the strip allowedto contact with and rest upon the cover 2. The arched relation ofthestrip 4 to the cover 2 also allows circulation of air under the stripso as to allow evaporation of the fluid in the strip and maintain thesame at a constant degree of moisture. This arched arrangement of thestrip 4 also provides for bodily yielding of the strip 4 so as toregulate the degree of pressure of the point of the brush upon themoistening surface, so that injury to the brush and undue moisteningthereof is prevented.

The cover 2 may also be provided with an opening 5 adjacent one end ofthe strip 4 through which the brush may be inserted into the fluid inthe receptacle 1 for the purpose of washing the brush, and this opening5 eliminates the necessity of a separate receptacle for washing thebrush, and also provides means for replenishing the supply of fluidwithout removing the cover 2. After washing the brush through theopening 5 most of the fluid can be drained therefrom on the edges of theopening, after which the point of the brush may be rubbed over thedepending end of the absorbent strip 4 or drawn along from the opening 5over the exposed portion of the strip 4,-

relative to the cover 2 of the receptacle 1,

and the oblique passage of the strip 4 through the slots 3 will alwaysmaintain the strip in an arched and spaced relationwith the: cover 2.

; While Ihave illustrated and described one possible embodiment of myinvention, it will be obvious that many modifications'and changescan bemade in the construction thereof by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I do notdesire to be limited in the use of my invention except as required bythefollowing claims when construed in the light of the prior art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of areceptacle to receive moiste'ning fluid, a cover for said receptacle,and an absorbent element having a portion thereof extending through saidcover into the said fluid and another portion thereof exposed exteriorlyof said receptacle, said exposed portion being freely spaced from thesaid cover.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of areceptacle to receive moistening fluid, a cover for said receptacle, andan absorbent element having a portion thereof extending through saidcover into the said fluid, said absorbent element contacting with saidcover at spaced points in the length of said element.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of areceptacle to receive moistening fluid, a cover for said receptacle, andan absorbent element having a portion thereof extending through saidcover into the said fluid and another portion thereof exposed exteriorlyof said receptacle, said.

absorbent element being supported on said cover at points on oppositeends of said exposed portion, and the said exposed portion being freelyspaced from said receptacle.

4. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a receptacle to receive moistening fluid, and anabsorbent clement mounted upon the top of said receptacle and having aportion thereof arranged exteriorly of the receptacle and freely spacedfrom the top thereof while another portion of said absorbent element issubmerged in said fluid.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of areceptacle to contain a moistening fluid, the top of said receptaclehaving a pair of spaced slots therein, and a strip of absorbent materialhaving its ends inserted through said slots into the fluid in thereceptacle and the portion thereof between said slots arched upwardlyand freely l spaced from said top of the receptacle.

I11 testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

May 8, 1919.

v,HUBERT TILLMAN ANTON DICKOPF. Witnesses:

THERESA B. CoUnTnu, 'GnoRGE J. MAcYs.

